Improvement in railroad-track crossings



I I J. GRAY & W. HOLLENBACK. RAILROAD TRACK CROSSINGS" No.178,1 40. Patented m 30,-1876.

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vdttorn ey UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JOSIAH GRAY AND WESLEY HOLLENBAGK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD-TRACK CROSSINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,140, dated May 30, 1876; application filed April 19, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JOSIAH GRAY and WEsLEY HOLLENBACK, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Track Crossing; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

The nature of our invention consists in the construction of a railroad track crossing, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which our invention appertains to makeand use the same, we will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of our railroad-track crossing. Fig. 2 is a section through one of the rails longitudinally.

A A represent two parallel rails, constructed with a longitudinal groove, a, in their upper surfaces, so as to combine in one piece both running-rail and guard. B B represent other two parallel rails, of similar construction, crossing the rails A A. At the points where the rails B cross the rails A said rails A are formed with lugs or projections 0 on their under sides, and recesses 12 are made in the rails A from the top, of a little less width than the rails B. The rails B are cut out on the bottom, and one or both sides, forming shoulders 01 d, so that when placed in the recesses b these shoulders will bind and hold the rails from slipping. The rails are, of course, fastened, by bolts h h, to suitable ties E underneath, in which are made recesses to receive the lugs 0.

It will thus be seen that the entire trackcrossing is made of four single pieces, with guard and running-rail'in one solid piece, and the corners strengthened by the lugs O on the rails A, obviating the cutting them clear through to form the corners.

This crossing may be made of steel or iron, or both combined, and may be cast, rolled, or hammered in proper shape, as deemed. most convenient. I

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A railroad-track crossing made of four pieces let into each other at the corners, and each piece forming both running rail and guard, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination of the rails AA, formed with the bottom lugs O 0 and the recesses b b, and the rails B B, formed with the shoulders d, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth. r

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we afiixour signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOSIAH GRAY. WESLEY HOLLENBAGK. Witnesses:

J. (J. BARKER, GnAs. LAUDT. 

